It’s a key product featured for the Savor, who was a former conventional melon grower. However, three years ago it stopped conventional melon production and moved towards growing specialty melons such as the Golden and Honey Kiss instead. “Specialty melons are a very narrow market for growers,” says Russell. “We position them on their flavour profile.”
Split in the industry?
Russell goes on to explain that fruit is essentially a discretionary purchase. “It’s something you take home because you want your family to enjoy it,” he says. “It’s not like onions where you’ll put it in a soup.” So to distinguish itself from conventional melons, Savor positions itself as a specialty high-taste melon producer. “We see a split coming in the industry,” he adds. “We see a commoditized bulk item and there are the value-added specialty items. The demand on the commoditized items isn't growing. We don’t think it’s what consumers will look for in five to 10 years.”
The melons, which when Savor started, tended to be stocked in more high-end grocery stores, are now available in a wider variety of stores including mass retailers such as Wal-Mart. And to continue to position itself as a unique product, Savor provides extra marketing. “We do everything in a header bag so every melon is in an individual netted sleeve and it explains what the melon is on the front and it explains our company and philosophy on the back,” he says. “We’re family owned and my mother does all the quality assurance so we put her picture on the back. Since 70 percent of shoppers are female, this has worked for us.”
For more information:
Milas Russell III
Savor Fresh Farms
Tel: +1-619-375-0548
[email protected]
https://www.savorfreshfarms.com/
Milas Russell III
Savor Fresh Farms
Tel: +1-619-375-0548
[email protected]
https://www.savorfreshfarms.com/
